Motorhome demolished, 1 killed in Teton Pass crash

[Neal]

https://www.rvtravel.com/motorhome-demolished-1-killed-teton-pass-crash-8n-r1/

 

[sheridany]

That is tragic. Seriously tragic. You can never prepare enough for mountain driving. It requires an A+ game only. I have never been where this happened. Has anyone or is this a bad idea all the way around? I don’t think I have ever been down a 10% grade. Sounds like a bad place to be.

 

[old timer]

I ,by accident by not planning my route hit a grade on highway 140. Heading to Kalmath Falls, never will run that road again. Luckily I didn't have my camper on the truck.
Do the tow vehicle's not have a brake similar to campers?

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Oh wow - wonder how the driver is doing, can’t imagine surviving that and when a family member died?

I don’t know if it was mechanical failure or not - but I frequently wonder if anyone who drives a heavy vehicle with air brakes should be required to pass a test of knowledge of air brakes, how they work, how they should be used and not used in mountain ranges. When we purchased our coach a few years ago, even though our state didn’t require it, I took a CDL class for air brakes and did the practice tests.
Now at least once a day when driving the coach we take the few minutes to run through the air brake system test steps. When driving in mountains it amazes me how fast some trucks take the downhill grade, and I am sure to not only watch the hill in front of me but also the hill behind us in the mirrors.
Can’t imagine what that family must be going through and hope none of our RV Forums’ family here never goes through something like this.
Please be sure to stay safe!

 

[Rd1]

Steep grades in a heavy vehicle, can always be a serious challenge. The first time I experienced a steep grade in W. Virginia, noticed brake smell then saw smoke from the trucks and semis up ahead. The steep was just overwhelming. There comes a time, when the grade just takes over the engine brakes. Eventhough, the bigger engines (hi-line coaches) have 3 stage engine brakes and the HI setting is very effective, don't assume, it can'tbe overcomed by the grade.

It is best to plan ahead and downshift to a lower gear at the top of the hill. You can always up shift, but once the rpm gains momentum, Allison won't downshift to a lower gear.

 

[J&JD]

I have traveled that road in my 36’ Alpine pusher towing a Jeep JK and it is one STEEP sucker for sure. We were aware of the conditions and the coach had a 2 stage Jake Brake. We had no problems at all and probably never went faster than 25mph in low gear and Jake on high. You just need to be aware and plan ahead for sure. The DW did say that she would rather not travel that stretch of road again, however.

 

[Jim]

It was a terrible tragedy, no doubt.

Living in a mountainous area myself, I quickly learned that my first Class A with a V10 engine just wasn’t cut out for the terrain. It wasn’t just the lack of torque that concerned me, but more importantly, the absence of an engine brake (or Jake brake) when descending those steep grades.

I had a heart-stopping moment when the master cylinder failed while I was heading down a mountain in that V10. I was trying to stay calm and work my way down the mountain, but it wasn't long before Trish asked me, "Do we have a problem that I need to be aware of?"

I was incredibly lucky to find a safe spot to pull over without becoming a statistic. It was a scary experience that I wouldn’t want to repeat. The very next day, I made the switch to a diesel Class A, and lord what a difference!

 

[Scooterfan]

Man...I white knuckle the 6% downhills going over the Siskiyou's on our Oregon trips. I find the engine brake will hold us at 50 mph at 3800-4000 rpms without braking, but if that "system" failed I wouldn't want to have to use brakes to maintain a safe speed. Sad about the accident and prayers for the family...but good reminder to drive "cautiously". Blessings

 

[team bradfield]

Never experienced a 10% grade, sounds scary, we stick to interstates, I think 6% is the steepest allowed, been mtn traveling all my rv life, rule of thumb, never go down faster than you can go up. Stick to interstates, do the crazy stuff with the jeep

And edit: air brake testing is important, but it can give a false sense of performance, I drove construction trucks for years, anything can change at any given moment, pay attention to the test brakes signs before steep grades, your welcome

 

[AbdRahim]

I think it was I 81 in Va. It was pouring rain down one of those 60 mph curvy hills. The left side tires went of the edge of the pavement. The breakdown lane was paved, but there was a one inch or more difference in the level of the surface. Trucks were all around me. Thank God I managed to ease the right side tires back on to the road on a sharp curve. After that I just said you guys have at it. I put on the brakes and slowed to 48-50 mph, the rest of the way down. Keep up with traffic was not worth the risk and anxiety. Just have to watch for the 18’s that just let them roll behind me.